


God Bless Google Translate

by SecretPeach



Series: Experience [3]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Discussion of Homophobia, Gen, M/M, Scrap Piece, bonus scene?, friendly conversation, friendship fluff, mentions of social anxiety, ongoing issues with sexual indentity, two nice boys being nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 11:32:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14471805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretPeach/pseuds/SecretPeach
Summary: At Internationaux de France, Javier has a spare juice for Shoma, and a trick up his sleeve.(Part of Experience, in direct reference to Chapter 20 so can't really be read as a standalone)





	God Bless Google Translate

**Author's Note:**

> Consider this....Experience Chapter 20.5  
> [read chapter 20 of Experience here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10920777/chapters/33399294) if you're not caught up :)
> 
> I considered not posting this but figured there was no harm in it and some bits could give a bit more pay off to stuff coming in Chapter 21.
> 
> Unbeta'd because my betas have lives and I don't

France wasn't exactly Javier's favourite place on Earth, but something about the country felt familiar.

Spending some time in Madrid had helped a lot in his mental recovery after an embarrassing finish in China. It was easier to heal a wounded ego with Marina nearby, his family close and friends around. He had friends in Toronto too, but it had never been the same. Nothing ever beats being home.

France was not home. But it was close enough to feel like his domain. It was funny, Yuzuru often talked about getting revenge when he had a shitty competition. At some point in the past six years of training together, that attitude had rubbed off on Javier. He had a thirst for vengeance for China here, in front of what was more or less a home crowd.

 

Practice went alright. For Javier. Not so much for some others. Not that Javier tended to notice while he was on the ice, but he could usually pick up the vibes from everyone as they headed back, got changed and did their physio. Misha had a good one, judging from how smiley and relaxed he was. The Russian kid, Javier wasn’t sure. The Russians could be hard to read, especially if you weren’t friendly with them. Shoma seemed to have a rough one, but Javier was pretty sure he knew why. Other than the fact the kid seemed to always have crappy practices before competitions.

 

Javier took the initiative to go over the little secluded corner where Shoma had himself holed up like a mouse. His case was open and his stuff was haphazardly stuffed in, but Shoma was sat with his back against the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him, head lolling to the side, apparently too tired to finish packing his stuff. He cracked his eyes open and lifted his head a bit when Javier sat down.

Javier pulled a carton of orange juice out of his pocket and handed it to Shoma. He’d got the juice after physio and nabbed a spare to give as a gift. Shoma took it and muttered out a ‘ _sankyuu_ ’.

Shoma speared the straw into the carton and took a healthy sip. He looked up at Javier and smiled. “Sweet.”

“I heard you were sick, are you feeling better?” Javier asked. He had talked to Shoma before, usually short and fleeting, in the scraps of English phrases Shoma just about recognised and the ‘advanced beginner’ Japanese Javier had. It was hard to gauge just how non-existent Shoma’s English was given his shyness and general aversion to speaking.

Shoma’s face was blank. He blinked. Javier pulled his phone out, got up a translation app, and repeated himself.

The app was a useful one, listening to the words he said and automatically translating to the language he needed. Javier didn’t typically need it very often. Not anymore. But it had been nice to have when he was with Miki. Miki’s English was fine, the communication problems they had wasn’t really an issue of language. Although Himawari was just a baby. It was a useful tool for communicating with her when Miki was busy and needed him to babysit. It was also good for travelling in general. It wasn’t perfectly accurate and it worked better with English than Spanish, but it did the job.

Javier held out his phone for Shoma to see the Japanese translation to appear and watched as his face lit up with obvious joy at this little way around the language barrier. Javier smiled. He should’ve thought of this before but his head tended to be firmly up his ass whenever he was competing.

 

Shoma tapped the screen gingerly to reverse the language translation and spoke. Javier watched for the translation.  
“How did you know I was sick?”

“The Toronto grapevine.”

Shoma frowned and shook his head. “Whatever you said makes no sense in Japanese.”

Javier laughed. Technology had its limits. “Yuzu must’ve told Tracy, she mentioned it to Brian…”

“Oh,” Shoma’s eyes lowered, looking bashful. “Yeah. I’m okay now.”

“How are your boots?” Javier asked. Maybe it was dumb to go through small talk, but Shoma was shy and needed to be coaxed into conversation even when there wasn’t a language barrier. Javier remembered the problems he had at Japan Open. Boot problems were a pain in the ass at the best of times but in an Olympic season, it was an issue you didn’t want to deal. It had played a role in Javier finishing fourth at Sochi and he wasn’t exactly keen to see another skater facing the same problems, getting as stressed out and having to be disappointed the way he had been.

Shoma bobbed her head, sucking on his juice carton a little before he answered. “Better. That should not be a problem here. Thank you.”

“Have you heard from Yuzu?”  
Shoma shook his head, shoulders dropping forwards. Javier reached forwards on instinct, giving the top of his arm a reassuring squeeze. “Me either.”

“He didn’t even tell me he was sick.” Shoma sighed, clearly bothered by that. Javier didn’t have much of a problem getting a read on him then. The worry and the edge of insecurity radiated from him.

“He...does that,” Javier said. It could be downright infuriating at times. Yuzuru was constantly pretending to be fine, lying about problems, ignoring when he was sick, trying to push through an injury, hiding his problems. Javier could even begin to guess why he did it. Some lack of trust maybe, or a refusal to accept weakness or an illogical avoidance of burdening others. Yuzuru seemed to think it was him against the universe and he had to do everything alone despite the fact he had people all around him who wanted to help and support him. Javier gave Shoma a nudge with his knee.  “Have you tried calling him?”

Shoma shook his head again. “He hasn’t been replying to my messages.” He looked up as if to silently ask if that was normal, or if it was a problem with him. Sadly it was normal. It was also shitty and Yuzuru should know better. Shoma shrugged one shoulder “Anyway, he doesn’t like to talk during competitions so I won’t hear from him until this is over.”

At least that was one thing Javier could assure Shoma was an attempt to be thoughtful rather then Yuzuru just withdrawing into his cocoon of misery for a while. “Ah. Yeah. He probably just doesn’t want to ruin your focus or something.”

“It doesn’t distract me. Not in a bad way.”

“Would you rather he did call you and stuff during competitions?” Javier asked. He could easily assume not wanting contact during events was something Yuzuru developed from his own fragile focus and need for space, but also from Javier’s similar habit of not wanting to be touched or hassled before competitions. It was so common that skaters needed some space and quiet and a limit on things like social media and phone calls. It might not have even occurred to Yuzuru that Shoma’s needs were different. Shoma nodded tightly, his expression oddly sad. Javier frowned.  “Why don’t you tell him?”

“He needs space now,” Shoma stated, quietly resigned to that.  “And. I don’t want him to do things he’s uncomfortable with.”

 

Javier eyed Shoma in interest. He didn’t know much about the kid aside from him being a nice little skater, things Miki had told him - which was mostly gushing about him being cute and shy - the fact that pretty much everyone liked him to some degree. He had a mild personality, a mellow temperament and didn’t talk much. He was the sort of person to reach out when someone seemed sad in a non-obstructive way and made little gestures in hopes of cheering them up. Like he had with Javier over the summer. It was really hard to dislike anyone as mild and inoffensive as him. Most of the time he was just kind of...there.

Things like this were why it was worth taking time to decode slightly off translations through a smartphone. The little bit of insight you could only really get by really talking to someone. Shoma was willing to ignore his own needs for the benefit of Yuzuru, letting him call the shots and waiting until he was ready. Javier wasn’t entirely sure that was a good thing.

“There’s something I’m curious about.” Javier started after switching the app to translate from Spanish instead of English. It would be a bit dodgier and he’d need to choose his words carefully, but it meant the likelihood of anyone overhearing and understanding what they were saying was reduced.  “He mentioned that you were kind of...out?”

Shoma snorted and Javier didn’t need a translation for his response. “What? No.”

“You’re family know?”

“Sure, they’re my family. I can trust them. They protect me.” Shoma shrugged.

“And you’ve told friends…”

“Very few,” Shoma said cautiously. “I can count the number on my fingers. Only people I trust a lot who already figured it out anyway. Why lie about it?”

Javier hummed. This had seemed like such a big factor for Yuzuru, one of the biggest points where Javier fell down. This had seemed to be the deal-breaker. Javier was confused to have Shoma denying it.  
“Yuzu made it seem like you were more...open.”

“I guess I am? But I’m careful.” Shoma tilted his head, thinking.  “Maybe it feels like more for Yuzu because my friends are his friends too. His world is pretty small.”

Javier snorted. To the outside, Yuzuru was a star larger than life but the reality was that Yuzuru’s world was, indeed, very small consisting mostly of his bedroom, the training rink, the gym, and competitions. If Yuzuru had made friends away from skating in Toronto, it would be news to Javier. And he rarely talked about friends back in Sendai, keeping in touch with one or two people little more than a few times a year maximum. Most of his friends were within the Japanese skating community; a tight-knit group which included Shoma dead in the centre. The few friends they shared that could be told about their relationship was probably a decent portion of everyone Yuzuru considered himself close to. That would be a huge deal to him.

“True. And...it’s a big change. He was used to hiding from everyone.”

“We still have to hide,” Shoma admitted in a soft, regretful tone. “I know I can’t ever be like Adam. But I can just live my life the best I can.”

“It’s more about being comfortable with yourself,” Javier said, understanding.

Something Yuzuru hadn’t been a few years ago. And Javier sure as hell hadn’t been when they had been together. Yuzuru was obviously convinced Javier never would be. Maybe he was right. Javier could at least admit he struggled with it. To himself, at least. It was funny, to have Shoma say he couldn't be like Adam, but also desperately sad. As if that was something Shoma wanted - to be out publicly, to be able to loudly declare himself and take pride in every aspect of his identity. To demand that everyone accept it. Nothing about Adam suited Shoma’s nature. And regardless, the cultures were too different. Japan wouldn’t tolerate it. That was why Yuzuru had spent so long so afraid.

“I guess. I don’t know. When I realised it made me even more anxious around people,” Shoma looked down timidly and Javier felt a pang of sympathy. He didn’t know Shoma as a kid, but he could image the number it would play on an already shy kid. Puberty was hard enough, to also realise you’re gay, in a climate like Japan, when you’re already in the public eye to some degree...Javier had understood why Yuzuru had opted to hide and try to deny himself. He could also understand why Shoma might find himself suddenly rocked with increased awkwardness in social situations.  

Shoma looked up, face pleasantly neutral, shoulder bouncing up and down again. “But... It can’t be helped.”

‘ _It can’t be helped_ ’. Javier was familiar with that phrase in Japanese but Miki had said it all the time. She had explained to him it was a cultural thing. That Japanese people didn’t like to waste energy getting angry over small matters that were outside of their control. ‘ _It can’t be helped_ ’, it’s just the way it is. Sometimes it rains when you had plans, sometimes you get stuck in traffic and will be late for work. No use in getting upset over it. He found it incredibly amusing that Shoma had applied that attitude to himself. He liked boys; it can’t be helped. Just a fact of life. No point in getting upset over it.

“Why do you find it so hard?” Shoma asked.

“I don't like how it would make people see me,” Javier replied. It was a bit of a vanity thing. Javier liked the image of himself that was installed in friends and family and even strangers. The fun guy, the relaxed guy, the easy-going, laid-back, normal guy. Adding to that, complicating it, with some kind of label for his sexuality he wasn’t even sure really fit him would change that image. “I don't like having to redefine myself.”

Now it seemed pointless anyway. Javier lost out. Yuzuru chose Shoma. Javier was happy and comfortable in an uncomplicated relationship with a sweet girl who was funny and smart and didn't stress him out.

“It doesn’t define you. I’ve never thought it defines me,” Shoma said thoughtfully. “But people would treat us differently if they knew.” Shoma paused, looking at Javier through his eyelashes and screwing his face up in a little grimace. “Yuzu would have problems dating anyone publicly.”

Boy, was that ever the truth. “If you’re only open with people you trust...do you trust me?”

“Yuzu does. And I trust him,” Shoma replied, straight-forward and simple. Javier was getting to like this about him. He was mild and careful about his words, but he didn’t fluff them much. Shoma grinned at him as he spoke and wiggled his juice box for emphasis. “And you’re nice. You tried to make me feel better about my boots and brought me orange juice.”

Javier laughed and shrugged. “You brought me coffee and stuff when I was sad.”

There were even now, Javier guessed. He hoped Shoma understood why Javier had wanted to talk. It was weird and stilted and done through a phone as a third party and Javier didn't doubt that of both ends there was some guesswork and interpretation going on when the online translation didn’t quite get something right. But Shoma was important to Yuzuru. And Yuzuru was important to Javier. It would be a nicer environment for everyone if they could all be friendly.

Anyway. Javier was moving on. He wasn’t sure what Shoma knew or what he thought was going on before. But he at least wanted Shoma to know now that there were no hard feelings.

“Are you okay now?”

Javier smiled. “Yeah. I’m happy again.”

Shoma returned that smile, though his was kind of tired and thready. Poor kid was obviously still not at his best. “Good. You skate better when you’re happy,”

“I hope you have a good competition,” Javier said, in English. Shoma had at least heard that kind of thing enough by now to not need a translation.

“You too,” Shoma replied, accent thick but endearing.

 

Javier paused, not putting his phone away just yet. He still had some sage wisdom for the kid. Javier might not have been good for Yuzuru as a boyfriend or a fling or an ex or whatever it was they had been for so long that slowly caused their relationship to malfunction. But as a friend...Javier thought they still functioned okay in that area. Or they’d be back on track very soon, anyway. Things were already getting better.

He knew Yuzuru enough to know that he would be sullen and withdrawn from the injury, and left to his own devices, wouldn’t make the first move to contact anyone. Javier maybe did too much at times but Yuzuru needed to be poked from time to time. Shoma always letting him do everything on his schedule wouldn’t work out well for them. They’d need to meet at the halfway point.

He touched Shoma forearms lightly and leaned in.

“Don’t let Yuzu pull away from you. He needs you there. He just has a hard time reaching out.”

Shoma bit his lip and nodded. “I’ll try.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> I had no idea what to title this but the app I had in mind was actually one called 'Papago' which is a Korean translation app made by Naver that is useful as hell when you are going between Korean and English but not so much if you are doing other languages. But....let's ignore that.


End file.
